Never Enough
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: When Sofia is captured by someone in Rudistan, Cedric goes to rescue her, only to encounter Greylock in the process. Regardless of his former friend's questionable motives, Cedric finds that he has no choice but to team up with the other sorcerer if he has any hope of finding Sofia safe and sound. *Idea/Requested by Mr. Shortman92* (Title inspired by "The Greatest Showman" song :D)


Never Enough

Summary: When Sofia is captured by someone in Rudistan, Cedric goes to rescue her, only to encounter Greylock in the process. Regardless of his former friend's questionable motives, Cedric finds that he has no choice but to team up with the other sorcerer if he has any hope of finding Sofia safe and sound. *Idea by Mr. Shortman92*

Disclaimer: I only own the OC villain, her son, and a few others in here. See the ending A/N for further information about a few in particular.

 **WARNING! Super long Author's Note ahead! Lol!**

A/N: This is my final request to fulfill! The other three remaining prompts are stories of my own creation, which _will_ be written…eventually. While I can't give too much away, I'll elaborate a bit more on each one.

"Spectrum" will be a story of a surprising friendship between Greylock and Ivy, and it takes a different look at people who've been classified as villains yet have another side to themselves (and vice versa, in Greylock's case). I'm waiting to write that one, obviously, because I am still not 100% sure of Greylock's fate on the show. If we never find out, fine. I'll do it my way. Lol. If we do, I'll make it work. :D

The top secret "Read Me a Story" format story focuses on some key elements of the past of a few characters and how certain things shaped who they are today. The title is undisclosed for now. 😊

And my BIG story… If you've seen my profile, you know this big story is going to be 25 chapters long. The reason I'm waiting to write it is because it takes place two years AFTER the original show ends. (Yes, I'm finally taking the leap and doing something different, haha.) And since I'm a bit of a perfectionist about at least _trying_ to align with the canon, it HAS to be on hold for now. :D Also, there are still elements of the story that I want to use that I still don't know from the show, and those details WILL affect the story. So yeah, I'm kind of a sitting duck for that. Lol. Again, the title is still a secret for now. Once I know more and have a more definitive outlook on STF, I'll be able to make some decisions and maybe even finally let you all in on the secret. This story will even have its own separate website dedicated to it (it's already created, but I've privatized it until I'm ready to release it); when I say it's a _big_ story, I'm not exaggerating. I've been working on details for it since last December. 😉 I'll even tease you with some random quotes from different chapters of the story (I told you I had this planned out :p).

* * *

QUOTES:

"Life is so much brighter when you smile."

"Sometimes the ocean can heal the soul."

"I can't keep doing this!"

"I can't believe he'd leave me…"

* * *

**Annnnnnnnnnnnnd… I think that's enough for now. 😉**

Meanwhile, after this story, I'll be taking a little break to finish off my summer (working on school stuff, completing summer classes, traveling to meet a friend, going to a week-long conference, meeting with my student club members, etc.). I wanted to leave y'all with a rescue mission, courtesy of Mr. Shortman92, so we can at least go out in style for a while. ;D That said, I'll be around… If Craig and Company finally decide to give us that allusive Season 4 finale, that'd be great. :p Enjoy!

 **Note** : My Original Item the GuardoRing is in here; see "Dream Team" if you're unfamiliar with it. 😊

 **Side note for Mr. Shortman9** 2: I took the original premise you sent and had to make changes in order for things to fit into the story, especially since I'm still lacking a lot of information from the show. Hope you don't mind! But I think you'll probably like the darker twist on things. 😉 I also threw in some little hints that allude to a few other stories you've requested in the past. See if you catch them. Lol! Oh, and I did try to double/triple check on errors in here just for you, so I _hope_ I got them all. Lol. I tried! This ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would be. Haha! I hope you enjoy it. 😊

* * *

*Story*

"Heads up, Sofia!"

Sofia turned and reacted quickly as Chrysta tossed her a securely-tied bag. She blinked as she caught it before glancing toward her trainer. "What's this?"

The older Protector grinned as she folded her arms. "I have a little mission for you. It shouldn't take long, but it needs to be done today…if you're up for it."

The princess smiled and nodded, a look of determination on her face. "I can handle it. I'm not expected to be home until later anyway."

Chrysta lowered her hands to her hips as she began explaining. "I have a contact undercover in the Kingdom of Rudistan."

The kingdom's name instantly attracted Sofia's attention and caused her a tiny bit of anxiety. She knew a certain wayward sorcerer was from there, and she'd not heard from him or about him since the incident last year. She wasn't even sure if he had gone through with his mission or not, but since even Cedric hadn't heard anything, she had to assume he'd tried to use the Medusa Stone and gotten caught in the act. Regardless, she couldn't let her uncertainty hinder her. She was a Protector. It was her job to get things done, no matter what challenges may come her way.

"Apparently, there has been some sort of disturbance there for the last several months."

Sofia smiled nervously, though she attempted to hide it. "You don't say…"

"Evidently, King Magnus indicated that there's been a larger amount of negative magic stemming from random places throughout the kingdom. Our undercover contact is there to determine exactly what the cause of the problem may be."

The younger Protector glanced down at the bag she was holding. "And… Let me guess. I need to deliver this to the contact?"

"Yep! His name is Dexter of Mahiya, some weird and mysterious magical kingdom that not many people know much about. He's a young wizard, not much older than you actually, and he was recruited as one of our top-secret Undercover Protectors a few years ago due to his magical abilities and stealth. You're now actually one of the very few to know about him."

The girl's blue eyes widened in interest. "Oh, wow… And how will I know where to find him?"

Chrysta took the girl's wrist and tapped on her Enchantlet. "You've got your WhichWay Bow, remember? Just tell it to find the Protector called Dexter, and let it handle the work." She then placed her hands on Sofia's shoulders, giving her a stern look. "Listen. If you get into trouble, you call me, okay? I don't want to hear it from Vega and Orion about the dangers of sending you into an undercover mission as it is, but I'll _never_ hear the end of it if something happens to you."

Sofia just smiled and nodded. "I'll be fine, Chrysta. And if I do get into trouble, I promise I'll call you." She held up the bag. "Are you going to tell me what's in this?"

"Nope. That's undercover business, and you, little princess, are _not_ an undercover contact." She grinned as her charge sighed and shrugged. "Maybe when you're a little older, we'll consider it. Now, Skye will get you to Rudistan and then back to Enchancia. Any questions?"

"When do we leave?" She laughed as Skye valiantly approached her, bowing respectfully as always.

"We shall leave upon your command, my princess," he enthused happily, more than ready to head out on another adventure. "Just say the word."

"Let's go then!" Sofia hurried over and mounted the unicorn, securing the bag as she held onto her friend's mane. "I'll see you later, Chrysta. Tell Vega and Orion not to worry."

Chrysta just laughed sarcastically. "That's easier said than done. Be safe!" She waved as Skye lifted off into the air, carrying the princess and the secretive cargo with him. She frowned thoughtfully. " _Please_ don't get hurt."

* * *

"I'm thrilled that we are off on another adventure, Sofia," Skye gushed excitedly as they flew. "It's been some time since you and I have been on a mission."

"I know," she laughed. "School… Also, family, friends, people getting married, making life-changing decisions… And Chrysta hasn't called on me that much recently, so there's that."

He chuckled, dodging around a few stray geese. "I have a particularly strong feeling that you'll be getting more Protector work soon."

The girl blinked at the rather confident tone in his voice. "What makes you say that?"

"Prisma is still out there, is she not? And she has yet to be captured."

Sofia rolled her eyes and frowned. "Yeah, she is. And she nearly hurt my friend and me the last time we saw her." She didn't even realize she was pulling on Skye's mane a little tighter. "If I see her again, I'm going to—" She gasped as she heard the sound of discomfort in Skye's voice as he let out a surprised yelp. "I'm sorry, Skye!" She gently brushed down his mane, soothing him. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's all right, Sofia. I, too, can understand your aggravation with that wicked woman. And to think we deemed her trustworthy at first." He shook his head lightly. "It is amazing how wrong we can be about people."

She sighed, clutching the bag Chrysta had given her. "Tell me about it."

"Well, no more talk of her. We won't let her ruin our mission." He sped up a bit. "Hold on tightly, my princess. I'm about to change our course to get to Rudistan faster."

Sofia did as requested and shut her eyes as the speed and wind both picked up, stinging her eyes a bit. She felt a sharp drop, shocking her senses into overdrive as she yelled once in surprise. She held a bit tighter to him.

"Sorry!" Skye apologized. "I guess that was a little faster and steeper than I anticipated." He laughed sheepishly as they leveled out and slowed a little.

She laughed breathlessly as she opened her eyes, blinking away the tears caused by the wind. "It's fine. So, how long until we get there anyway?"

"Not long. I have a little secret to show you." He nodded his head forward. "Do you see that random orange cloud floating among the others?"

Sofia gazed ahead and saw what he was talking about. The cloud was indeed orange and rather fluffy, and it looked much denser than the nearby white and softer pastel clouds. "Yeah?"

"That's not exactly a 'cloud' really… It's our shortcut." He propelled forward, flying directly through the orange cloud while calling out, "Rudistan!"

Sofia glanced around and gasped, noting the quick change of scenery. They were in Rudistan! "Wow! I want one of _those_ for Wassailia," she laughed.

"I discovered that by accident recently. When I asked some of the Protectors about it, they said it's a new experiment they're trying. They call them 'Transiclouds' I believe, because they can transport you from one place to another just by calling out the location of where you aim to be."

"That is _the_ neatest thing ever."

"I agree. It will certainly make plenty of other missions easier, especially if they choose to keep them." He laughed and continued onward. "I think it's time to use your WhichWay Bow, Princess."

"Right." She activated her Enchantlet and shot the arrow into the air. "Show us the way to the Protector called Dexter." She watched as the arrow shot straight across the kingdom and toward a clump of trees in a dark forest. "…Of course he'd be in the creepiest-looking part of Rudistan," she muttered before sighing. "Let's go, Skye!"

"As you wish, Sofia!" With that, he began flying in the direction of the arrow.

* * *

They failed to notice that someone was watching them… Someone dangerous and unpredictable. Someone with a dark, pleased smile upon the realization that the esteemed Princess Sofia of Enchancia had flown directly into a trap.

* * *

Upon landing, Skye swiftly approached a clear stream of water that was rushing through the woods. He greedily drank to quench his thirst as Sofia slid from his back and held onto the bag Chrysta had given her.

She looked around, wondering exactly where her arrow had even landed. "Hello?" she called out. "Is there someone here called Dexter?"

"Who's asking?"

The princess gasped and turned, startled by the voice. She blinked as she saw someone standing before her, his arms folded.

The boy in question looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. He had light olive skin and imploring brown eyes, though they didn't appear menacing by any means. His raven black hair brushed against his shoulders, and half was messily tied back into a ponytail. He wore dark slacks and boots and a partially unbuttoned blue collared shirt. Over his clothing was draped a black robe, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows (presumably due to the weather; it was summer, after all).

"Um, hi," Sofia responded carefully as Skye walked next to her again. "I'm Princess Sofia of Enchancia. I'm also a Protector training with Chrysta in the Mystic Isles."

"Oh," the boy said in realization, his eyes widening. " _You're_ the one I was told to look out for." He held out one hand. "I believe you have something for me?"

"Yeah." Sofia passed over the bag and watched as the young wizard untied the top of it, opening the fabric to reveal a glowing stone. "What exactly is that?"

Dexter smiled mischievously as he replied, "Undercover Protector secret, Princess." He saw that she seemed a bit dissatisfied with his answer, especially after traveling all that way, so he rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Fine, I'll tell you, but don't let Chrysta know."

She giggled and made a motion of zipping her lips. "Not a word."

"King Magnus mentioned some time ago that there had been an uprising in his kingdom last year. Some guy named Greylock the Grand or something tried to take over the whole place."

Sofia slunk back a bit, deciding it might be best not to mention even knowing the sorcerer in question.

"They locked him away in the dungeon once he was captured, and it was assumed that with him stopped, there wouldn't be any more problems." He frowned as he held the stone a little more firmly. "They were wrong. I've felt a dark magical presence for a long time—probably months now—but could never pinpoint where it's coming from. I know whoever it is… This person is dangerous, Princess. Could be another sorcerer or wizard, could be a wicked spirit, could be anything at this point… I don't know." He gestured toward the stone. "But this will tell me what I need to know. It's a Nature Nugget."

She couldn't help giggling at the title. "A Nature _Nugget_? What does it do?"

"It reveals wicked intentions of anyone in the surrounding perimeter, extending to a circumference of up to ten kilometers. It latches onto the negative energy emitted from the stone and pinpoints the exact source. The Protectors have a team that's been working on this little guy for a while now, and thankfully it's done." He grinned. "If I can figure out the cause of the trouble around here recently, I can report it to the Protectors so they can handle things, and I can go back home to my little sister at last." The young wizard sighed. "She's been in the care of some friends of mine for a while, so it will be good to reunite with her."

Sofia wasn't about to ask about his parents, because it didn't appear there were any to speak of. She did feel bad that he'd had to leave his sister behind for a mission though. She could understand that easily. Images of Amber asking why she couldn't go and James wanting to tag along flooded her memories before she shook her head. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I'll help you! That way, maybe you can go home faster."

Dexter smiled. "Thanks, Princess Sofia."

"Just call me Sofia." She grinned. "I'm just Sofia when I'm on a Protector mission."

"Okay, Sofia. And there's not that much to do. This stone should be able to do all the work for us." He held out the Nature Nugget and gently pressed his thumb to the top, watching as a soft blue glow appeared around the stone. "Reveal the wicked in Rudistan," he said simply, waiting for it to react.

It took a few moments for the stone to respond, but eventually Dexter got the reaction he was looking for. The blue glow suddenly left the stone and swirled above both Sofia and Dexter, forming the outline of a woman. Though the details were of the monochrome nature due to the blue hue, both could see that she had a high ponytail, a floor-length dress, and sharp, angry-looking eyes with a sneer on her face. Written above the image in the same blue glow was a name: Mayezeiya (pronounced My-eh-zay-uh or Maɪ eɪ zeɪ ʌ).

"Who is Mayezeiya?" Sofia asked, eyeing the hovering image with trepidation.

"I don't have a clue," Dexter responded honestly. "But since we have what we need, I can return this to the Mystic Isles so they can handle her and then finally go home." He smiled down at the girl. "And you can go to your own home now too, Sofia."

"So, you weren't able to get the Nature Nugget yourself and figure this out earlier?" Skye asked.

Dexter shook his head. "When you're an Undercover Protector, your job is to stay where you're assigned. Technically, I'm not even a full Protector… I'm more of a recruit working under the assumed title." He shrugged. "Either way, I've gotten great training and have learned a lot from them, so I didn't really mind monitoring activity here. I'm not sure who this Mayezeiya person is, but now that the stone has stored a name and an image, the Protectors can finish the job." He whistled once, and a little puppy hurried up to him, wagging his tail. The puppy had a dark brown coat and beautiful blue-violet eyes. Dexter knelt and picked him up. "This is Kix. He's been with me on the mission for a while." He played with the puppy's paw, eliciting a playful whine from Kix. "He'll be a year old next month."

"Aww," Sofia cooed, giggling. "He's cute."

Kix turned to Sofia, a happy smile on his face, as if affirming the previous acknowledgement.

"He's a mess," Dexter added, laughing. "But he's fun. We're going to head back to the Mystic Isles and alert the Protectors of the development, and they'll decide what to do from there." He reached out a hand toward the princess. "It was nice meeting you, Sofia."

She took his hand and smiled, shaking it. "You too, Dexter."

"Please, call me Dex." He winked and released her hand, playfully tickling the puppy's chin. "Ready to go, boy? Say bye-bye to the princess and her pet unicorn."

Skye cleared his throat. "Actually, I'm one of her loyal steeds. I just _happen_ to be a unicorn, and I'm certainly nobody's pet."

Dexter grinned. "Uh-huh. Well, goodbye, 'loyal steed.' And good luck to you both. Thanks for everything, Sofia. Perhaps we'll meet again someday." With that, he unsheathed his wand from his robe and muttered a spell, causing his surrounding equipment and materials, along with Kix and himself, to vanish.

"Do you know who this Mayezeiya person is, Skye?" Sofia wondered as she turned to the unicorn, who shook his head. "Hmm…"

"Are you ready to return to Enchancia now, Princess?"

She glanced back toward the castle where she knew Greylock was probably imprisoned, and she felt her heart sink a bit. She couldn't help feeling bad for him, despite his actions; what if his reasons for committing the act were similar to Cedric's? What if he'd felt underappreciated and overlooked—maybe even by Slickwell or someone else? What if he had been overworked and exploited by the haughty king, who always wanted others to think he had the best of everything? A frown made its way to her face. Could she leave without checking on someone her mentor had once claimed as one of his very few friends?

"Sofia?"

"Huh?" She turned back to her companion, smiling gently and nodding. "Yeah… I guess we should."

"There is something about this place that troubles you," he realized, noting her features.

"It's nothing. Let's go, Skye."

"Not so fast, little princess."

Sofia gasped as she felt a strong magical force encapsulate her, causing her to levitate from the ground. She looked around frantically, spotting the woman from the image she and Dexter had seen. "Are you Mayezeiya?" she demanded, her senses kicking into overdrive.

"What a clever girl," the mysterious woman crooned with a sinister smile. Her hair was jet black fading into light blue along the ends of her ponytail, which hovered near her thighs. The dress she wore was dark blue with shimmering silver gems scattered throughout. Her eyes, sparkling with amusement, were a strange shade of light green. "And how kind of you to say my name correctly, too…" She chuckled. "However, kindness only gets you so far."

"Release the princess!" Skye demanded, aiming his horn in her direction. "I shan't have you harming her!"

"Get lost, horn-head." With one simple bout of magic with her free hand, she blasted the energetic unicorn backwards, smirking as he hit a tree and collapsed onto the ground.

"Skye!" Sofia gasped, worried for her friend's wellbeing. She glared at the woman. "Let me go!"

"Oh, I don't think so. I've been waiting for _you_ for quite some time…" She smiled wickedly and snapped her fingers, causing both of them to vanish.

Skye groaned in pain and slowly pulled himself into a standing position. "I've…got to warn…the Protectors." He barely made it a few steps before he collapsed again, passing out.

* * *

In what appeared to be a replica of a throne room, Mayezeiya appeared and aimed her wand toward a wall, near which Sofia was magically shackled to keep from moving. One of her ankles was strapped to the stone floor while both of her hands and her other leg were free. The chain attached to the shackle didn't appear to be that long, which didn't go unnoticed by Sofia.

"Why have you brought me here?" the princess demanded, glaring up at Mayezeiya. "I think I deserve an answer!"

"You?" She laughed. "You deserve _nothing_. And I owe you no explanation. Every single person who reveals a 'plot' or a 'plan' to do-gooders like you always has the same fate: imprisonment or worse. How _stupid_ do you think I am?"

"That depends," Sofia drawled slowly, anger lacing her words. "Do you really think you're going to keep me here? I'm not exactly helpless, you know."

"Oh, really?" The woman sneered and held out one hand, foregoing her wand for the time being. She sent a blast toward the girl, smirking as it hit her and knocked her back against the wall. One more blast sent her to the floor, one side of her face hitting the stone. Little slips of magic sliced her skin on her exposed arms and face, causing superficial wounds. Pleased with the sight of the weakened and bruised girl, she asked, "Are you _sure_ about that?"

Sofia moaned in pain as she glanced toward her right hand, her GuardoRing starting to glow, clearly an indication to Cedric that she was in danger. "Mr. Cedric," she whispered.

"Oh, that's right," Mayezeiya laughed as she briskly approached the girl. "I forgot. _You're_ the one with all the little trinkets and magical devices and what have you. Well, I'm afraid we can't have that." With Sofia too weak to protest, she slid the amulet from her neck and let it dangle around her arm. "I'm familiar with the Amulet of Avalor and its powers. Lucky girl, getting to wear it. You're definitely not going to need that by the time we're finished." Next, she removed the Enchantlet. "Ah, an Enchantlet… I haven't seen one of these since the _last_ Protector I destroyed." She grinned before then looking toward the GuardoRing. "And…huh, that's interesting. Not sure rings are supposed to glow, so that's probably going to be a nuisance too. I'll just take that." She reached out to grab the ring when Sofia quickly fisted her hand and glared at her, her right eye swollen and dark from falling earlier, but her blue eyes still threatening.

"It's just a ring my friend gave me," she said softly. "It…glows when my mood changes." Well… It wasn't exactly the truth, but she wasn't about to have her only connection to Cedric silenced.

"I assure you, little princess," she laughed darkly, "your mood is going to be quite dank by the time I'm through with you… _if_ you survive." She quickly swept her eyes over Sofia's weakened form and determined that the girl didn't seem to have any more magical items, so she carried the few she had found to what appeared to be a treasure box, dropping them inside. "I think I'll just keep these."

Sofia was too tired to argue or protest any longer. She just watched as the woman sashayed back to what she could only assume was her throne, sitting down and smirking in her direction.

"Mommy!"

The princess was astonished to see a little boy, probably three years old, running through the room and over to Mayezeiya, his black curly hair bouncing around his head. He was the spitting image of the woman, minus the menacing features. He was even dressed in a little pantsuit that reflected her outfit.

"Micah, what are you doing out of bed?" Mayezeiya scolded as she picked up the boy, shaking one finger at him. "It's late." In reality, it wasn't _that_ late. It was barely even dusk, but she always put him to bed early so she could get… _work_ …done.

"Bedtime story?" he asked gently, clasping his little hands around her extended finger and his lip quivering in sadness.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Very well." She then grinned toward the girl shackled to the floor. "I've got the perfect bedtime story for you, my son. It involves a nosy little princess and why good deeds don't always pay off."

Micah blinked at her words before glancing toward Sofia, who caught his eyes. A look of realization crossed his features. His mother had captured yet another person, and what she planned to do with this girl, he didn't know. He was still too young to understand everything, but unfortunately for him, especially in the environment he was raised, his innocence was diminishing far more quickly than he'd like. "Mommy… She no look good."

"That's all part of the story, little one," she chuckled, wrapping her arms around him. "Now then, once upon a time…"

While her voice droned on, Sofia heard a shuffling in the darkness just out of her line of view. She could have sworn she saw some sort of silhouette, but it disappeared before she could process it. Then again, maybe she was hallucinating… She'd been attacked rather viciously, after all, so it wouldn't surprise her. She maneuvered a bit to curl into a ball against the wall, hoping that sleep would take away her pain. Even still, her ring continued to glow softly.

* * *

Back in Enchancia, Cedric was reading a book while sitting at his desk when he noticed that his wand had begun glowing. A thoughtful frown appeared on his face before he made a connection. It only did that when Sofia's GuardoRing was activated, and it only activated when—

"I need to find her," he declared, standing and grabbing his wand. "Where on earth might she be?"

As if on cue, a small rolled parchment appeared out of nowhere, dropping onto the desk in front of him. Confused, he opened it and unrolled it, his eyes widening.

 _Come to Rudistan_

That's all that was written on it, and in hasty handwriting apparently. Cedric looked around, on guard. Where had that even come from? What if… _Greylock_ had something to do with this? But that was impossible, wasn't it? Deciding it was best to save the questions for later, he chose instead to focus on the task at hand: finding and rescuing his apprentice from whatever evil being had captured her.

* * *

Mayezeiya had left the room to tend to some 'business' as she called it, leaving Sofia alone. She was still tucked next to the wall, her form shivering a bit in the cold room. Her purple and black Protector outfit had gotten nicked by the magic too, so there were little holes in the fabric in varying places. Her hair, while still in the ponytail, was starting to slip out of the band and stray pieces were falling in her face, but she didn't have enough energy to fix it.

She opened her eyes when she felt a tiny hand resting on her cheek, where a deep cut lay. She winced a bit and glanced up, surprised to see the little boy.

"You hurt," he said gently, kneeling beside her and lowering his head. "Mommy did bad thing. I sorry…"

Sofia couldn't have been more shocked at this point. She blinked a few times. "It's not your fault," she assured him gently. "Your name is Micah?" She couldn't help smiling softly as he nodded. "How old are you?"

"Three." He sighed.

She reached out and patted his hand. "Thank you for checking on me. I'm going to be okay. You better go before your mom sees us."

He gave her a perplexed expression before nodding. "Need my help?"

A sad smile appeared on the girl's face. "This isn't your fight, Micah…" She watched as he sighed in defeat and toddled off. At least there was _some_ good left in this dark place. Hearing and seeing nothing else, she forced herself to close her eyes again, and eventually exhaustion dragged her into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Cedric, having taken one of the spare flying coaches without anyone knowing, arrived safely in Rudistan not much later. He tucked it safely in the forest where Sofia had begun her journey and magically tied the flying horse to a tree. "I'll be back soon enough," he assured the horse, turning and pressing forward in the direction of the castle.

Before long, he heard a soft groaning sound coming from near one of the trees. Deciding it could possibly be Sofia needing his help, he decided to investigate. He glanced around the trunk and was more than surprised to see Skye barely conscious at that point. Though he'd never encountered the unicorn before, he felt instantly inclined to help him. "Oh, my," he murmured as he knelt next to the injured steed. "Whoever attacked you really did a number on you, didn't they?" He gently brushed his mane with his fingers before pulling out his family wand. "I don't have a healing potion, but perhaps this spell will help." He murmured a few words, allowing the magic to wash over Skye. Eventually, he noticed the change and realized the injured unicorn seemed to be coming around. "You'll be feeling better soon enough. I'll return to check on you once I find my apprentice." With that said, he hurried off toward the castle.

Skye started coming to and made a quick realization. "That was Sofia's sorcerer friend she's always talking about," he gasped, his mouth dropping. "He doesn't know how much danger she's in. I need to warn him!" He paused. "But… Sofia's job as a Protector is a big secret she has to keep from most of her friends and family… Ugh, what am I to do?" He frowned as he decided. "Her life is in danger. If one more person knows about her secret life, so be it. At least it's someone who can save her." Determined to do something about this whole situation, he once again attempted to stand, but it was just no use. He was still too weak; even Cedric's spell hadn't had enough time to work its magic…so to speak.

He sighed in resignation. "Just find her, please!"

* * *

Cedric searched the castle grounds with no luck. He'd dodged several guards at this point (more than in Enchancia, he couldn't help noticing), and he'd avoided suspicion relatively well. In addition, his wand had stopped glowing earlier, which sent his mind into a whirlwind as he obsessively imagined every possible detriment the princess could have met… But he pushed those thoughts aside for his own sanity for the time being. He had just passed by one of the back entrances when he felt a hand reach out and grab his arm, while another one slapped over his mouth.

He made a move to fight back, but a voice he hadn't expected to hear hissed at him to be quiet.

"Shut up or I'll _let_ the guards find you."

Cedric's eyes widened, and he turned briskly to his left, the hands now releasing him. " _Greylock_?!" His mouth fell open upon seeing his former friend standing there.

Greylock looked relatively the same, but he had obviously lost some weight, his monocle was missing, his clothing was basically tattered rags at this point, and his hair was somewhat matted. It sent a chill down his spine. Is _this_ what would have happened to him if he'd been thrown into the dungeon? No… No, even though he and Roland didn't always get along, he wouldn't have allowed him to get _this_ bad. And Sofia certainly wouldn't have had it.

"What's happened to you?"

"What's happened to me?" the Rudistanian man repeated, scoffing and waving his dirty hands emphatically. "Ruddy Grimtrix happened to me, Cedric! I used that blasted Medusa Stone and got control of the kingdom, but I was stopped. Magnus threw me in the dungeon before I could even plead my case—not that I _wanted_ to… I despise that man so…"

Cedric frowned, confused. "If you were in the dungeon, how is it that you're out here now? Did you escape?"

"…You could say that." He attempted to rub his hands on his robe to rid them of dirt, but he was only causing a bigger mess. He sighed, giving up, and looked back toward Cedric. "You are here for Princess Sofia, aren't you?"

"Yes, I—" He gasped in realization. "It was you! _You_ were the one who sent the note!"

Despite his state, Greylock smirked. "He's figuring it out," he teased halfheartedly, enjoying the rush of emotions Cedric seemed to be going through.

Cedric growled in annoyance and lifted his wand, holding it to the other sorcerer's throat. "Where is she?"

"Cedric, calm down! Let's talk about this in a location where we're _not_ so out in the open?" Seeing that the Enchancian sorcerer seemed to be relenting, he pushed the wand away from him and turned, tugging open a door that seemed to lead under the castle. He gestured downward while glancing toward his former friend. "After you."

"And why on earth would I trust you at this point?" Cedric pointed. "How about you go first?"

Greylock glared at him. "I'm not the only one who was at those meetings, Cedric. Don't forget about that." Scoffing, he turned and marched inside, hearing Cedric following behind him. "And don't forget to close the door."

Cedric rolled his eyes and resisted mimicking him as he used his wand to do as instructed. "Where does this lead anyway?"

"You sure are inquisitive."

"My friend is in danger, so _of course_ I am! I want to know what in Merlin's name happened to her and how to find her!"

Greylock turned and placed a hand over the startled sorcerer's mouth. "You won't find her if you keep yelling like that," he warned, his dark eyes narrowed. "If the guards don't find you, _she_ will."

"She who?" Seeing that Greylock wasn't going to respond, Cedric grabbed his dilapidated vest and yanked him forward, glaring at him. " _Who_ , Greylock?"

The former royal sorcerer glanced around the underground area to make sure no one was present and listening before removing Cedric's hands from his vest and sighing. "I was locked away in that dingy dungeon for over a year. I was lucky if I was fed and given water. A few months into my sentence (which was _life_ , by the way), some strange woman approached me and offered me freedom and a new wand— _if_ I played by her rules."

Cedric folded his arms as he continued listening.

"She also offered a rather substantial amount of gold for my pain and suffering, if you can believe that." He shook his head as he raked one hand down his face. "My task was simple: I was to create a magical disturbance in Rudistan, causing disruption to the kingdom." He laughed. "I've got _no_ issue with that, as you can imagine, especially after my treatment."

"What for?" Cedric asked. "What's the purpose of something so trivial?"

"She never said. She just gave me a wand and something akin to the Medusa Stone and told me to 'do my worst.' So, I did. I caused some natural disasters— _magically_ , of course. Things started going missing. Furniture and even sections of the castle began levitating." He smirked. "I had old Magnus thinking for a while that his castle was actually _haunted_." He chuckled wryly. "I carried on with those shenanigans for months—up until today. She came to me and told me I was no longer needed, and she claimed that she would finally pay me and send me on my way—sans wand, of course." He closed his eyes, exhaling in frustration. "However… Before that could even happen, imagine my utter surprise when I saw that she had a reluctant visitor: none other than your own princess."

"What happened with Sofia?" He was growing weary of the story, because he didn't like how _long_ Greylock was taking to get to the point.

"From what I understand, she captured the princess and locked her up. I don't even know what she was doing in Rudistan in the first place, Cedric…"

"Neither do I," Cedric added, shaking his head. "This whole thing—none of this makes any sense. She's been disappearing more often and coming home exhausted, and she's hardly the same energetic girl I met when she first arrived at the castle."

Greylock offered a momentary sympathetic look to the other sorcerer. "That's because she's _not_ the same little girl anymore, Cedric. She's growing up."

Cedric sighed.

"And she's going to do things you won't possibly understand. It's what _we_ did when we were young, too. Remember? We got into plenty of trouble and went on lots of random adventures, and even though they tired us out, it was still worth it in the end."

"You can say that because _your_ parents were far more easygoing than mine. I was grounded for a month after that whole 'borrowing-the-headmaster's-wand' incident, I'll have you know." He pursed his lips as the other man snickered. "I wasn't even the one who did it! _You_ told me to be the lookout!"

"Yes, you were a terrible lookout, by the way. We got caught almost instantly."

"Ugh… Greylock, as much as I'm 'enjoying' this trip down memory lane, I'm no closer to my apprentice, and I'm starting to get worried." He held up his wand. "I created a device that she wears, which is connected to my wand, that will lead me to her if she's in danger. The moment I neared the castle, the wand stopped glowing. I'm scared for her life at this point."

Greylock tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Was this device designed to measure certain signs _only_ when she's wearing it?"

"Yes." His eyes widened in fear. "It's off… Someone took it off." Snarling in anger, he sprinted down the corridor, his footsteps pounding on the stone and echoing off the walls. He heard Greylock panting and chasing after him, but he didn't care. The very thought that someone was close enough to his apprentice to remove the one link he had to her sent anger coursing through his body.

"Cedric, wait!" Greylock panted. "You don't know what you're doing! You don't know what this woman can do!"

"I don't care!" he responded pointedly. "Sofia is probably in mortal danger, and if I have to destroy an entire army to get to her, I will! So don't even _think_ about stopping me or getting in my way, Greylock, or you just might get the same treatment." That said, he pressed on, his legs carrying him faster than he ever imagined he could go. Adrenaline shot through his system, propelling him onward.

Greylock had _never_ seen Cedric so serious and focused about anything before. He was always that nerdy little kid in classes when they were younger, too shy or scared to speak up about anything. Things had changed over the years and he'd gotten a bit snippier, but between the two of them, Cedric still always had a better moral fiber than Greylock. He didn't think it was funny to pull pranks on people. He apologized almost instantly if he said something that hurt someone—even if he meant it. And he still got his feelings hurt when someone didn't like him, or something went wrong. The Cedric that he'd seen at the Order of the Wand wasn't the real Cedric: this man, frantically hurrying down the underside of a foreign castle to rescue a princess whom he'd once considered the most annoying person on the planet, was the _real Cedric_. The one who cared about others, whether he would admit it or not… In that sense, Cedric would always be a better person than Greylock could _ever_ hope to be. And he envied that.

* * *

Back in the mock throne room deep beneath the castle, Sofia awoke to a pulsing headache. She recalled being slammed around and blasted with magic, which had likely contributed to her state. She looked down and, through her bleary vision, noticed instantly that yet another thing of hers was missing. "Where's my GuardoRing?" Her amulet, her ring, and her Enchantlet were all gone—all links to other worlds, to magic, and to someone who could potentially save her. Now, she was truly alone.

"Finally decided to wake up, did you?" a sneering voice chuckled as Mayezeiya stepped over to her, smirking as the princess struggled to sit up and glare at her. "You're in no position to look at me so challengingly, Princess Sofia of Enchancia. After all, as you may recall, it didn't take that many magic attacks to knock you out for nearly an hour."

It had only been an hour? To Sofia, she felt like she'd been chained up for a whole week at this point. She knew she was weak. She knew she was cold. She knew she was hungry… And she knew that, without her magical items, _no one_ could rescue her. She was on her own. "People will be looking for me." Well… She hoped. Maybe not Chrysta immediately, because she did tell her she could take Skye to go home right after the mission. Even the boy Dexter she'd met that day didn't know her situation. Now, her family would eventually get worried, especially if she was too late getting home. However, locating her without the GuardoRing would be nearly impossible, she feared.

"Oh, I'm sure they will," the woman taunted with a giggle. "And when they come looking for you, I'll just destroy them like I've destroyed any others who've gotten in my way: kings and queens, commoners, kids, you name it."

She chose to ignore that last part of the declaration, because she didn't want to ponder over how _anyone_ could harm a _child—_ especially someone who was a mother herself. "Why have you even captured _me_? I don't even _know_ you!"

"No, no, you don't know me," she affirmed with a smirk. "And as much as I've enjoyed toying with you, I suppose now that I'm going to destroy you, you should know the truth." She put her hands on her hips and smiled wickedly. "I'm sure you know someone by the name of Prisma."

Sofia scowled, verifying that she did indeed know her.

"Hmm. Prisma was my best friend growing up. Long story short, I owed her a favor. Her favor was simple: get rid of Princess Sofia so that she can finish collecting the Wicked Nine. And she knew the best way to do that was to go through the Mystic Isles and a Protector mission, as she called it. She even predicted that you'd get off the beaten path and land yourself here." She chuckled lowly as Sofia listened. "You had one job, little girl, and if you'd done it properly, _maybe_ you wouldn't be in this position. You were supposed to drop off something and leave. Instead… You lingered just a little too long."

"I was just—"

"Any _good_ Protector knows to be on guard at all times, too," she continued, smiling impishly. "I should know. I was one myself once upon a time."

Sofia's eyes widened as she gasped. " _You_ were a Protector?!"

"Until one teensy-weensy mistake got me kicked out of the Mystic Isles for good." She shrugged. "So an entire kingdom got destroyed… Oops."

" _How_ did _you_ **ever** get to be a Protector? You obviously don't care about anyone but yourself!" Sofia yelped as Mayezeiya blasted her with another surge of magic, causing her to double over.

"How does a silly little _princess_ with no _real_ magical ability or previous knowledge of the realm get to be a Protector? I'm fascinated by your tale, but not enough to hear it through to the end." She smirked as she walked forward, her hand still trained on the auburn-haired girl, who was breathing shallowly at this point. "Maybe it's for the best. You weren't cut out to protect your precious 'Ever Realm' in the first place."

Sofia shut her eyes and lowered her head, preparing for the worst.

" _Dearmo_!"

The girl blinked and looked up in surprise. She recognized _that_ voice anywhere. Beaming, she called out to her mentor, who'd just run into the room, "Mr. Cedric!"

"Sofia!" He chanced a glance at her and instantly wished he hadn't. She looked _awful_ —bruises, scratches, torn clothing, messy hair, swollen cheek… And did she have a black eye? Oh, this woman was going to _pay_ for this. Swallowing his nerves and putting on a brave face for his apprentice, he glared at the wicked woman before him, whose hands were now magically sealed and 'disarmed' for the time being. "Don't worry, Sofia. I'll get you out of here."

"Mr. Cedric, be careful! She's dangerous!"

Again, he bit back a sarcastic quip about how _obvious_ that was to him, especially since she was already hurt. Before he could respond or challenge the abductor, he heard panting behind him.

"I told you to wait!" Greylock snapped as he paused next to Cedric, trying to catch his breath.

Sofia could hardly believe her eyes. "Mr. Greylock?" He did _not_ look good, and despite whatever he may have done, her heart instantly broke upon seeing his current state.

The brown-haired man gave Sofia an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Princess Sofia. I'm afraid it's my fault that you're even here…"

"You?" The girl gestured toward Mayezeiya. "She just told me that _she_ was the one behind all this. She planned this whole thing to get me here. So, how are _you_ involved?"

"Well, I needed _someone_ to pass the blame off to once things were said and done," the woman revealed with a knowing grin. "While I was busy tending to _other_ details, dear Greylock here spent months causing chaos in Rudistan on my behalf."

Sofia gaped at the ashamed man. "Mr. Greylock…"

"And when this is all said and done, and once I've killed the princess, I'll make sure all those little trails definitely lead back to Greylock—the escaped convict."

"If you've 'escaped,'" Cedric began, glancing at the other sorcerer, "why is it that no one has discovered you missing, if you've been doing this for months now?"

"Do you _really_ think they check those blasted cells that often, Cedric?" Greylock challenged. "I was lucky to be fed a few times a week… Eventually, the visits grew even more scarce, until they just stopped coming at all." He frowned heavily as a look of realization appeared on the Enchancian sorcerer's face. "They couldn't care if I lived or died in that rotten dungeon. As long as I was out of the way." He turned to the evil woman. "That's when Zeiya offered me the task of disrupting things around the kingdom, though I had _no idea_ it would lead to this."

"Zeiya?" Sofia frowned. "I can't believe you were working for _her_!"

"It's not what you think, Princess Sof—"

A growl of anger and frustration erupted from the broken girl. "I am _so_ tired of all this ridiculous nonsense! Do people really think teaming up with _evil people_ is going to solve all the problems? Why not just be _good_? Why not just do what's _right_?"

"You have an interesting moral compass, Princess," Mayezeiya taunted with a lofty laugh. "Just because _you_ do good in the world, that doesn't mean others do, or _want to_ for that matter. Oh, and let's not forget how much easier it is to look on the 'bright side' when you've got the title and status of 'princess' in front of your name. It's easy to _say_ those things when you've got the credentials to back it up." Annoyed with all the talking, she sent one magical blast through her hands and broke the spell Cedric had placed on them. "Now! Let's finish this, and it's for your own good, Greylock, if you and the other sorcerer stay out of my way." She whirled on Sofia, producing her wand out of thin air and powering it up. "Say goodbye, Princess!"

Seemingly from nowhere, a little voice cut through the tension. "No, Mommy!" Micah insisted as he ran over to Sofia, standing in front of her and extending his arms to…protect her?

Sofia looked up and gasped softly in shock, her swollen eye still stinging and her arms shaking with the scrapes and bruises as she attempted to keep herself steady. Was this little boy really standing up for her? Against his own mother?

Mayezeiya growled and pointed her wand toward the little boy. "Micah, move! Protecting that princess is a worthless act."

The little boy stood firm, glaring up at his own mother. "Sofia nice girl! No hurt her!"

"Zeiya, really?" Greylock added, holding up his hands as the woman aimed her wand at him next. "The princess is hardly worth destroying. What good will it do you?"

Cedric glared at him. He didn't care for the way that statement came across at all.

"Greylock, in case you've not noticed, I have my hands full right now, and I don't need your input." Mayezeiya narrowed her eyes at the man. "I told you and your weirdo friend to stay out of this."

"We are _not_ friends," Cedric corrected, missing the quick look of disappointment on the other sorcerer's face. "The princess, however, _is_ my friend, and I _will_ make you pay for what you've done to her!" He raised his family wand, pointing it right back at her.

Mayezeiya cackled as she turned her own wand on him. "Oh, really? I love a challenge! Bring it on, sorcerer!"

"Mr. Cedric, no!" Sofia yelled as Micah was now clinging to her. "Don't hurt her! She has a child!"

"She hurt _you_ , Sofia!" Cedric reasoned, his hand shaking as his morals were now called into question. "Why shouldn't I deliver some justice after she's ripped you nearly to pieces?"

"Because two wrongs don't make a right," she argued. "And we'll constantly be going back and forth, and the outcome will never be enough for any of us. We'll just keep fighting and fighting until eventually, both sides will lose. If you do this, you're no better than the likes of Grimtrix or any other evildoer!" That alone got him to falter, and she realized it. She reached up and gently caressed Micah's back, feeling him trembling as he held onto her, still trying, in his own way, to protect her. "And the innocent will suffer, Mr. Cedric…" Little Micah stepped back, rubbing at his eyes as tears formed in them, stress evident in his actions.

He cast his brown eyes down toward the boy, realization flooding his features. Micah would either witness someone hurt his mother or destroy her, and that could possibly hurt _him_ in the long run. Sofia was right… But—

"The innocent _always_ suffer," Mayezeiya sneered, her voice low and threatening as she glared at the princess. "Get used to it, Princess." She quickly turned her wand in Sofia's direction and sent a finalizing blast—and then her heart stopped. "NO!"

Micah had just rushed over to Sofia, shielding her with his own tiny body. His mother's dark magic had struck him down, causing him to collapse in front of the visibly-shaken Sofia. Not a sound was heard from the curly-haired boy.

"No, no, no, no, no! Micah!" Mayezeiya dropped her wand and fell to her knees beside her son, picking him up and cradling his limp body in her arms. "No, Micah, my little one, please—PLEASE! Wake up!" She let out a shuddering breath as she held him to her body, which was wracked with sobs. "Mommy's sorry, Micah! Please don't leave me!"

Cedric and Greylock both stood to the side, speechless. They hadn't seen _that_ coming… For one so small to sacrifice himself to save someone, against his mother's wishes… It was…horrifying.

Sofia's entire body had grown ice cold. She'd already been chilled due to the environment, but that experience in addition had drained any warmth she'd possessed. She looked desperately toward Cedric. "Mr. Cedric, get me out of this, _now_."

Deciding not to question her, Cedric used his wand and unlocked the shackle. He was surprised that she didn't rush to him and hug him, which would have been a typical reaction to being rescued… Instead, she brushed right past him and Greylock and moved over to a treasure box.

She opened the lid and located all of her magical items, completely intact. She fastened the Amulet of Avalor around her neck, placed the Enchantlet on her wrist, and slid the GuardoRing onto her finger. And then, she did something that surprised them all. "Mayezeiya." Once the dark-haired woman looked toward her, her eyes filled with both malice and despair, Sofia walked over and knelt next to them. "I'm going to try something, and I'm not sure if it will work… But I want to try to save your son."

"Is that even possible?" Greylock asked softly, his only response a shrug from Cedric.

"If anyone can do it, I'm sure Sofia can," Cedric told him. "She's stronger than we've ever given her credit for, Greylock. And she's probably more powerful than any of us here."

The brown-haired man nodded. "I'm starting to realize that."

"Why would you do that?" Mayezeiya challenged, holding her son tightly. "Why would you offer to save him after all I've done to you?"

"Because Micah deserves to live," she answered honestly. "His life has only barely begun, and his heart is in the right place. Maybe he can teach his mother how to live like that. Or maybe not. But I'm not about to just give up on someone who risked everything to save me, even at the very real possibility of his own downfall." She placed one hand along Micah's head, a few of his dark curls wrapping around her fingers and making her feel even more emotionally connected to the child. She grasped her amulet with her other hand and whispered, "Please… Please grant me this one wish. I don't care if I never get another wish, and I'd even give up all the powers I've earned so far if you want…"

Cedric knew how much she was risking. The amulet's powers were no joke, and for her to say that… He couldn't have been prouder of his apprentice. She was surrendering a lot.

"I wish for Micah to survive and live a long, healthy, happy life."

"Does the Amulet of Avalor even work that way?" Greylock wondered.

"I guess we'll find out," Cedric remarked gently.

Sofia felt a gentle warmth flooding her hand as the amulet seemed to respond to her request. The little boy still wasn't moving, causing her to worry that maybe this was an impossible wish. Maybe the magic was just too strong… Maybe she really couldn't save everyone.

However, a minute later, everyone was shocked to hear a sharp intake of breath. Micah opened his eyes, a look of confusion sweeping over his features as he gazed up at his distraught mother. He reached up and wiped away a few of her tears. "Don't cry, Mommy…"

"Micah…" Mayezeiya held him close, hugging him. "You're the _only_ good thing in my life, and if I lost you…" She felt her heart sink as she looked toward Sofia in shock. "I can't believe you did this for him."

"He deserves better," Sofia told her honestly. "He deserves a mom who's going to take care of him and teach him how to be a good person. Right now, you're not that person. But you _are_ his mother, and I can see that if you care about nothing else, you at least care about your son. That's a mother's love, whether you claim to be wicked or not. And no matter what you've done to me or to anyone else, I couldn't just watch someone so kind and honest suffer or die because of selfish actions." She stood up shakily, and she was grateful when Cedric stepped over and helped her balance against him. "Mayezeiya, I'm going to say this once, and I want you to hear me clearly: I don't ever want to see you again. If Prisma wants to deal with me, let her do it herself. I'm ready for her whenever and wherever."

"Who's Prisma?" Cedric mouthed to Greylock, who just shrugged.

"But this is not your fight," Sofia continued, staring firmly at the woman. "You're responsible for one thing only right now: making sure that Micah grows up well. If he would make that kind of sacrifice for someone he barely knows, he's got a wonderful heart and can change the world. Maybe you should consider being a part of that." With nothing else to say, she turned around, and grabbed Cedric's hand, tugging him along so they could finally leave the daunting environment.

Mayezeiya exchanged a brief look with Greylock, who simply nodded before leaving. She sighed heavily and cradled Micah to her, the events weighing heavily on her as she realized that she was left with a decision to make… One she didn't know if she even _could_. But for Micah…she had to.

* * *

Outside the castle, Cedric caught Sofia before she collapsed to the ground. "We need to get you back to Enchancia," he told her gently as he picked her up. "I've got plenty of healing potions to help."

She smiled weakly. "Thanks, Mr. Cedric…" She hugged him, ignoring the pain she felt. "I'm glad you found me…"

"Thank Greylock for that." He glanced toward the other sorcerer, who was shifting from one foot to another. "He actually informed me where you were."

Sofia blinked in the other man's direction. "I'm not even going to ask about everything you've been up to, Mr. Greylock, because I know people don't change overnight." She frowned as he lowered his head. "But I do hope things turn out better for you, and I hope we can all be friends again one day."

"You have such impressive ambitions, Princess Sofia," the former royal sorcerer teased lightly, smiling at her. "I'm just a work in progress, I'm afraid. I'm still very much guilty of my crimes, and _if_ I'm captured, it could mean a pretty terrible punishment."

"Then leave," Cedric told him. "Get out of here already and start over somewhere new."

"Now, Cedric, you know it's not that easy…" He sighed heavily. "I've got a lot of thinking to do. I can't make any rash decisions, or they could very well cost me my life."

"We can at least do one thing to help make things a little easier." Sofia reached to Cedric's hand that was securing her legs and grabbed his family wand. She aimed it at Greylock. " _Elavo_." She smiled as his appearance reverted to the old Greylock they knew: his hair was clean and immaculate again, his clothing and monocle were restored, and his skin was no longer dirty. However, she couldn't 'magic away' his smaller frame, which would take some time to restore. "Take care of yourself, Mr. Greylock. _Please_."

Cedric reached into his robe and withdrew his spare wand, tossing it to a surprised Greylock. "Don't ever say I've never done anything for you."

Greylock's eyes widened as he grasped the wand. "Cedric…"

"Don't make me regret that either. I don't want to hear of you trying to overtake anything else…"

He nodded, speechless.

With nothing more to say, the trio parted on uncertain terms. Cedric and Sofia even made it a point not to look back, because if they did, they probably wouldn't be able to handle knowing that they were willingly just leaving the other sorcerer to fend for himself.

* * *

Cedric placed Sofia to her feet once they'd reached the forest. He was somewhat disappointed when he didn't immediately see the unicorn from earlier, but he wasn't going to ponder over it too much. "I'll get the flying coach ready," he told her. "Stay here." Seeing her nod, he turned and left.

"Sofia!"

Sofia smiled as Skye quickly approached her from the side. "Skye! You're okay!"

"I was worried about you, my princess. I didn't know what happened to you." He gaped at her. "You look dreadful—pardon my saying so. What happened?"

"I'll tell you later. It's a long story. Mr. Cedric rescued me though, and he's taking me home." She gently nuzzled him. "Thanks for waiting for me. You should really get back to the Mystic Isles though. It's not exactly safe here right now."

He nodded. "As you wish, Princess. I will see you soon." With that, he took off into the sky.

Well, at least she could talk to Skye still, though anyone could, really… Did she still have the ability to talk to nonmagical animals though? After all, she'd even proclaimed she'd give up her own powers to save Micah, and she definitely didn't regret it, but…she was curious. She looked up as a bird flew nearby. "Excuse me!"

The little blue jay blinked at her as it hovered midair. "Yes, miss?"

Sofia grinned happily, realizing that she at least retained one essential power. She didn't know _what_ she would do if she couldn't speak to Clover and the others anymore. "Never mind. Sorry to bother you!" She waved the bird away as Cedric approached her. "Is it ready?" She gasped in surprise as he picked her up again without warning.

He chuckled. "Sorry. And yes, it's ready. Let's get out of here. I've put a spell on the flying coach so that it can get us home easier."

She smiled. "Good thinking."

* * *

While they were in the flying coach on their way back to Enchancia, Cedric conjured a large pillow and placed it on his lap, before instructing Sofia to lie down and rest. He smiled as she did so, exhaustion clearly etched into each movement and on her features. He removed the band from her hair, as the ponytail had all but fallen completely down anyway, and gently ran his fingers through it as she settled down. "What happened here today… I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Sofia sighed and looked up toward him. "It's not your fault, Mr. Cedric… I do wish I knew what's going to happen with Mayezeiya and Micah, and even Mr. Greylock, but…" She frowned. "I guess you're right. I can't always help or save everyone, and sometimes I just need to let them make their own decisions, huh?"

"You've given them the tools, which is more than I can say for many others." He frowned as he observed her face, still swollen and bruised. "She didn't deserve your kindness."

"But Micah did. And like it or not, Mayezeiya is his mom and her job is to take care of him."

"Assuming she will," he responded bitterly.

Sofia smiled gently at her mentor. "We'll never know unless we give her a chance, Mr. Cedric… Maybe she'll surprise you."

He chuckled. " _You_ certainly surprised me today… I've not seen you so serious and focused on something in a while, but… I can understand why, given the situation." He saw her nod before finally asking what he'd been wondering for the last little bit, "Sofia, who exactly is Prisma?"

She sighed and closed her eyes as he rested his hand on her head. "Mr. Cedric…"

"Sofia…"

She slowly opened her eyes again and gave him an imploring look. "Do you trust me?" Seeing him nod hesitantly, she smiled. "Good. Then trust that I can take care of things… I've already told you that I'll come to you if and when the time comes." She closed her eyes again and felt sleep overtaking her, dragging her (willingly) into dreamland.

Cedric pondered over her words before making a connection. "That woman," he recalled, remembering the day he'd nearly been blasted to pieces trying to save Sofia. "I wonder if she's…" He looked back to the princess, noting that she was fast asleep. He sighed, letting his speculation rest. He could always ask later when she was in better spirits and not in such a sorry state. He made a promise to himself that he'd do a better job of keeping an eye on her from here on out, because the last thing he wanted was for her to go through something like this again. No, actually, the _last_ thing he wanted was to lose her… That terrified him more than anything at this point.

Cedric observed the sleeping girl's injuries and sighed. He could help heal her physically, but emotionally and spiritually would be up to her. Unable to do much more, he closed his eyes and leaned back as the magically-enhanced flying coach guided them back to Enchancia.

* * *

In the next few days, Sofia healed up well. Luckily, none of her family or the castle staff ever discovered what happened to her. She was honestly scared of how Roland would react—either to her, to Cedric, or to anyone else involved. He was extremely protective of his family, and having his youngest daughter attacked would certainly be something that would set him off. The bruises and cuts were gone thanks to Cedric's potions, and all that remained from their experience was a bunch of questions.

What happened with Greylock? Did he escape or get caught? Would he be okay? Did Mayezeiya take her advice and choose a better life for herself and her son? Or did she report back to Prisma and opt instead to continue her life of treachery? Would Micah be okay in the long run? Where _was_ Prisma in all this, and how exactly did she con Mayezeiya into attacking Sofia?

There were so many questions she had, and unfortunately, she didn't know any of the answers. It bothered her, but she slowly came to accept it. Cedric was right. She couldn't save everyone, and she couldn't solve all the world's problems. And now, she couldn't _know_ everything that she felt she needed to—or certainly _wanted_ to.

Regardless, she made the conscious decision to talk to Chrysta and the other Protectors about what had occurred. It was likely that Skye would tell them anyway, so she'd have questions to answer. Keeping something this big from them simply wasn't going to happen, and it shouldn't.

Sofia smiled from her place in her bed one morning as Clover hopped over to her, gently nuzzling her side. She'd had no choice but to tell _him_ what happened, because he'd seen her with the injuries. Thankfully, he'd kept quiet on the subject so that the other animals wouldn't worry. "Clover, do you think things are really going to be okay by the time everything's said and done?"

He grinned at her, placing a paw on her arm. "Sofia, if you're involved, there's no doubt. Now look, stop mopin' around and beatin' yourself up over things you can't change. You've still got a life to live, Princess. Things have a way of workin' themselves out anyway, right?"

She sighed happily and nodded, scratching his head. "You're right… Thanks, Clover." She then pushed herself up into a sitting position. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Well, I saw that we've got some new strawberries in the garden, so I figured I could get about sixty and you could pick some if you wanna bake a cake later… You know." He snickered as she rolled her eyes before sliding from her bed. "Is that a yes?"

"That's a yes," she confirmed, picking him up and placing him on the floor. "Give me a minute to get dressed, and I'll meet you in the garden."

"Awesome!" Clover quickly scampered out his secret exit.

Sofia sighed in resignation and smiled a little bit to herself. The best thing she could do at this point was live her life, like Clover suggested. Things would ultimately be okay in the end, she felt, even if they didn't always seem that way at first. But she had hope, which was more than she could say for Prisma or anyone still affiliated with her. Hope for a better tomorrow.

"I guess that's good enough for now," she murmured thoughtfully before preparing for the day ahead.

The end

* * *

Ending A/N: Hi, everyone! Um, wow, this was _much_ longer than I thought it was going to be. Lol! O.o So if you like long stories, yay! :D Anyway, Dexter, whom you met in here, will actually be in the upcoming big secret multichapter story. 😉 He's one of my new OCs. Don't worry. He _is_ a good guy—I have no problem spoiling that. I will say that you did get a brief glimpse into a suggestion of his upbringing. I'll delve more into that in the big story, because there's a lot to it that you didn't see here.

You will _not_ see Mayezeiya or Micah again. Sorry! But like I always tend to say with characters and situations like that, I'll let you make your own conclusions as to what happened with them. Did Mayezeiya change her ways for her son? Or is she still evil? Will Micah eventually become evil? Who knows? Develop some theories if you wish. 😊

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who's followed, favorited, reviewed, and read my stories recently, or even in the last several years that I've been writing for STF. I am NOT saying goodbye right now. I'm saying "See you later" until our dear Craig offers some conclusions so that I can get those other stories written. Lol. As of now, I'll commence my writing break, but you never know—you may see me around soon enough. *shrugs* :D But right now, I'm definitely focused on a lot of work-related and grad school-related things, so I'll be a bit preoccupied. If you need me, you know what to do. 😊 PMs are welcome. Keep an eye out on my Wix page to see if there are any changes. And for the love of cheese, if ANYONE gets info about the season 4 finale before me, LET ME KNOW! Lol. I'm getting antsy over here. :p

Later, guys! Take care!

~AquaTurquoise


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